Social-Emotional Learning and Evaluation in After-School Care: A Working Model

Authors

  • Dana Minney Texas State University
  • Jaime Garcia Extend-A-Care
  • Joan Altobelli Extend-A-Care
  • Norma Perez-Brena Texas State University
  • Elizabeth Blunk Texas State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jyd.2019.660

Keywords:

social-emotional learning, after-school programs, program evaluation, SEL curriculum, self-soothing

Abstract

Social-emotional competence in children is an important area in which to develop and improve effective programs and evaluation. Research shows a positive association between social-emotional learning (SEL) and improvements in students’ conduct, social behavior, and school engagement as well as decreases in high-risk behaviors such as taking drugs, smoking and aggression. Extensive research points to the positive benefits of successful SEL curriculum in schools, but less research exists on SEL implementation in after-school care settings. Since social-emotional competence is correlated with higher positive effects and a decrease of negative effects in the social, behavioral, and academic outcomes of children exposed to these programs, more research is needed on the most effective format and environment for implementation. The purpose of this article is to review this research, and report the results of an evaluation comparing pre- and post-program survey data from children (n = 125; age range=4-11 years) attending an after-school program that has incorporated an SEL curriculum. Results showed significant increases in two SEL competencies: empathy and self-soothing. The advantages to providing both SEL instruction and evaluation in after-school care settings in addition to schools is also explored.

Author Biographies

Jaime Garcia, Extend-A-Care

Chief Officer of Operations, Extend-A-Care

Joan Altobelli, Extend-A-Care

Executive Director, Extend-A-Care

References

Abadesco, V., & Savage, J. (2015). Soul shoppe peace path guidebook. Retrieved from: http://www.onthepeacepath.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/peace-path-guide_final.pdf

Afterschool Alliance. (2014). America after 3 pm: Afterschool programs in demand. Retrieved on April 12, 2018 from: http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/documents/AA3PM-2014/AA3PM_National_Report.pdf

Belfield, C., Bowden, A. B., Klapp, A., Levin, H., Shand, R., & Zander, S. (2015). The economic value of social and emotional learning. Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, 6(3), 508-544.

Borgers, N., Hox, J., & Sikkel, D. (2003). Response quality in survey research with children and adolescents: The effect of labeled response options and vague quantifiers. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 15(1), 83-94. doi:10.1093/ijpor/15.1.83

Boyce, B. C. (2011). The mindfulness revolution: Leading psychologists, scientists, artists, and meditation teachers on the power of mindfulness in daily life. Boston, MA : Shambhala.

Catalano, R. F., Berglund, M. L., Ryan, J. A., Lonczak, H. S., & Hawkins, J. D. (2004). Positive youth development in the United States: Research findings on evaluations of positive youth development programs. The annals of the American academy of political and social science, 591(1), 98-124. doi:10.1177/0002716203260102

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning [CASEL]. (2003). Safe and sound: An educational leader’s guide to evidence-based social and emotional learning programs (Illinois edition). Chicago, IL: Author. Retrieved from https://casel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/safe-and-sound-il-edition.pdf

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning [CASEL]. (2012). Effective social and emotional learning programs: Preschool and elementary school edition (CASEL Guide 2013). Chicago, IL: Author. Retrieved from https://casel.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2013-casel-guide-1.pdf

Coryn, C. L., Spybrook, J. K., Evergreen, S. D., & Blinkiewicz, M. (2009). Development and evaluation of the social-emotional learning scale. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 27(4), 283-295. doi:10.1177/0734282908328619

Crowe, L., Beauchamp, M., Catroppa, C., & Anderson, V. (2011). Social function assessment tools for children and adolescents: A systematic review from 1988 to 2010. Clinical Psychology Review, 31, 767-785. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.03.008

Denham, S. A. (2015). Assessment of SEL in educational contexts. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice (pp. 285-300). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Doll, B., & Elliott, S. N. (1994). Representativeness of observed preschool social behaviors: How many data are enough? Journal of Early Intervention, 18(2), 227-238. doi:10.1177/105381519401800209

Domitrovich, C. E., Durlak, J. A., Staley, K. C., & Weissberg, R. P. (2017). Social-emotional competence: An essential factor for promoting positive adjustment and reducing risk in school children. Child Development 88(2), 408-416. doi:10.1111/cdev.12739

Durlak, J. A., Domitrovich, C. E., Weissberg, R. P., & Gullotta, T. P. (2015). Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Durlak, J. A., & DuPre, E. P. (2008). Implementation matters: A review of research on the influence of implementation on program outcomes and the factors affecting implementation. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(3/4), 327-350. doi:10.1007/s10464-008-9165-0

Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x

Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., & Pachan, M. (2010). A Meta-analysis of after-school programs that seek to promote personal and social skills in children and adolescents. American Journal of Community Psychology, 45(3/4), 294-309. doi:10.1007/s10464-010-9300-6

Elias, M. J. (2010). Sustainability of social-emotional learning and related programs: Lessons from a field study. International Journal of Emotional Education, 2(1), 17-33.

Elias, M. J., Leverett, L., Duffell, J. C., Humphrey, N., Stepney, C., & Ferrito, J. (2015). Integrating SEL with related prevention and youth development approaches. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice (pp. 33-49). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Elias, M. J., O’Brien, M. U., & Weissberg, R. P. (2006). Transformative Leadership for Social-Emotional Learning. Principal Leadership: High School Edition, 7(4), 10–13. Retrieved from http://libproxy.txstate.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.libproxy.txstate.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=507936535&site=eds-live&scope=site

Elliott, S. N., & Busse, R. T. (2004). Assessment and evaluation of students' behavior and intervention outcomes: The utility of rating scale methods. In R. B. Rutherford, M. M. Quinn, & S. R. Mathur (Eds.), Handbook of research in emotional and behavioral disorders (pp. 123-142). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Elliott, S. N., & Gresham, F. M. (2007). Social skills improvement system (SSIS): Classwide intervention program. Bloomington, MN: Pearson Assessments.

Elliott, S. N., Davies, M. D., Frey, J. R., Gresham, F., & Cooper, G. (2017). Development and initial validation of a social emotional learning assessment (SELA) for universal screening. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 55(3), 39-51. doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2017.06.002

Gottfredson, D. C., Gerstenblith, S. A., Soulé, D. A., Womer, S. C., & Lu, S. (2004). Do after-school programs reduce delinquency? Prevention Science, 5(4), 253-266. doi:10.1023/B:PREV.0000045359.41696.02

Greenberg, M. T., Weissberg, R. P., O’Brien, M. U., Zins, J. E., Fredericks, L., Resnik, H., & Elias, M. J. (2003). Enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated social, emotional, and academic learning. American Psychologist, 58(6-7), 466-474.

Gullotta, T. P. (2015). After-school programming and SEL. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice (pp. 260-266). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Hurd, N., & Deutsch, N. (2017). SEL-focused after-school programs. The Future of Children, 27(1), 95-115.

Jennings, P. A., & Frank, J. L. (2015). Inservice preparation for educators. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice (pp. 422-437). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Laughlin, L. (2013). Who's minding the kids? Child care arrangements: Spring 2011. Current Population Reports, pp. 70–135. U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC.

Lerner, R. M., Lerner, J. V., Urban, J. B., & Zaff, J. (2016). Evaluating programs aimed at promoting positive youth development: A relational development systems-based view. Applied Developmental Science, 20(3), 175-187. doi:10.1080/10888691.2015.1082430

Mart, K. A., Weissberg, R. P., & Kendziora, K. (2015). Systemic Support for SEL in School Districts. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice (pp. 494-495). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Marzano, R. J. (2015). Using formative assessment with SEL skills. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice (pp.336-347). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

McKown, C. (2015). Challenges and opportunities in the direct assessment of children's social and emotional comprehension. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice (pp. 320-335). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Moffitt, T.E., Arseneault, L., Belsky, D., Dickson, N., Hancox, R. J., Harrington, H., . . . Caspi, A. (2011). A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108, 2693-2698.

Patti, J., Senge, P., Madrazo, C., & Stern, R. (2015). Developing socially, emotionally, and cognitively competent school leaders and learning communities. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice (pp. 438-452). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., & Hulleman, C. S. (2015). Social and emotional learning in elementary school settings: Identifying mechanisms that matter. In J. A. Durlak, C. E. Domitrovich, R. P. Weissberg, & T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of social and emotional learning: Research and practice (pp. 151-166). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Sheard, M. K., Ross, S., & Cheung, A. (2012). Educational effectiveness of an intervention programme for social-emotional learning. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 6(3), 264-284. doi:10.5172/mra.2012.6.3.264

Smith, B., & Low, S. (2013). The Role of social-emotional learning in bullying prevention efforts. Theory into Practice, 52(4), 280-287. doi:10.1080/00405841.2013.829731

Tolan, P. H., Guerra, N. G., & Kendall, P. C. (1995). A developmental ecological perspective on antisocial behavior in children and adolescents: Toward a unified risk and intervention framework. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63(4), 579. doi:10.1037//0022-006X.63.4.579

Webster‐Stratton, C., & Herman, K. C. (2010). Disseminating Incredible Years Series early‐intervention programs: integrating and sustaining services between school and home. Psychology in the Schools, 47(1), 36-54. doi:10 1002/pits 20450

Zins, J. E., Bloodworth, M. R., Weissberg, R. P., & Walberg, H. J. (2004). The Scientific Base Linking Social and Emotional Learning to School Success. In J. E. Zins, R. P. Weissberg, M. C. Wang, & H. J. Walberg (Eds.). Building academic success on social and emotional learning: What does the research say? (pp. 3-22). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Downloads

Published

2019-09-12

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 3 (2019)

Section

Program & Practice Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  1. The Author retains copyright in the Work, where the term “Work” shall include all digital objects that may result in subsequent electronic publication or distribution.
  2. Upon acceptance of the Work, the author shall grant to the Publisher the right of first publication of the Work.
  3. The Author shall grant to the Publisher and its agents the nonexclusive perpetual right and license to publish, archive, and make accessible the Work in whole or in part in all forms of media now or hereafter known under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License or its equivalent, which, for the avoidance of doubt, allows others to copy, distribute, and transmit the Work under the following conditions:
    1. Attribution—other users must attribute the Work in the manner specified by the author as indicated on the journal Web site;
    with the understanding that the above condition can be waived with permission from the Author and that where the Work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.
  4. The Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the nonexclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the Work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as long as there is provided in the document an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  5. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a prepublication manuscript (but not the Publisher’s final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.
  6. Upon Publisher’s request, the Author agrees to furnish promptly to Publisher, at the Author’s own expense, written evidence of the permissions, licenses, and consents for use of third-party material included within the Work, except as determined by Publisher to be covered by the principles of Fair Use.
  7. The Author represents and warrants that:
    1. the Work is the Author’s original work;
    2. the Author has not transferred, and will not transfer, exclusive rights in the Work to any third party;
    3. the Work is not pending review or under consideration by another publisher;
    4. the Work has not previously been published;
    5. the Work contains no misrepresentation or infringement of the Work or property of other authors or third parties; and
    6. the Work contains no libel, invasion of privacy, or other unlawful matter.
  8. The Author agrees to indemnify and hold Publisher harmless from Author’s breach of the representations and warranties contained in Paragraph 6 above, as well as any claim or proceeding relating to Publisher’s use and publication of any content contained in the Work, including third-party content.

Revised 7/16/2018. Revision Description: Removed outdated link.